


Monkey See, Monkey Do

by shes_an_oddbird



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/M, Perthshire, domestic fitzsimmons, fitzsimmons offspring
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-09
Updated: 2016-11-08
Packaged: 2018-08-29 23:52:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8510578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shes_an_oddbird/pseuds/shes_an_oddbird
Summary: Jemma finds her plans constantly foiled by her daughter's inherited love of monkeys.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I decided to turn these little monkey fics from Tumblr into a series.

Jemma knew that her daughter would be brilliant. Whether she was brilliant like her or brilliant like Fitz or brilliant in her own unique way didn’t matter. That being said when little Peggy Fitzsimmons started mimicking sounds, the first sign that words were on the way, Jemma encouraged her at every opportunity.

“Mu-mu-mu—“ Peggy babbled gleefully. She sat across the nursery from Jemma in her bouncy chair, custom made just for her by her daddy.

Jemma listened with a smile as she folded a pink onesie with a monkey on it. “That’s right sweetie, Mu-mu-mummy.”

She was so close to saying mummy. Fitz was sure she’d say daddy first. They honestly hadn’t competed over something so intensely since the academy.

“Mu-mu-mu—“ Jemma’s grin expanded. She folded a couple more tiny t-shirts before pushing away the laundry basket away and crawling over to Peggy. She wiggled Peggy’s sock clad foot, they had monkey ears and a tail stitched on to them.

Fitz was spoiling her.

“You can do it sweetie, mum-my.” Jemma pronounced, annunciating every syllable.

“Mu-mu-mu—“

Jemma was so going to win this. She looked around the nursery utterly content to listen to Peggy’s babble. Content was such a nice word. One she was becoming quite familiar with. She must have been to let Fitz give so much input on decorating the nursery.

“Sweet heart your father is obsessed with monkeys.” Jemma said taking in the monkey mobile and monkey wall decals. The monkey rug she was sitting on. She looked down at Peggy who had turned her large curious blue eyes on her.

“Ke-ke—“

Jemma frowned but quickly recovered. It wasn’t mummy but it was a new sound for Peggy. “Good job, Peggy, that’s mummy’s smart little girl.”

“Ke-ke—“

Ke? What could that be? They had peaches for breakfast. Video chatted with Daisy. They were only up to Boron on the periodic table. She looked down at Peggy for a clue.

“Mu-mu-mu—“

“Mu-mu-mummy.” Jemma said again hopefully.

Peggy continued to look at her. Actually, Jemma realized, she was looking past her.

“Mu-ke.”

Mucky? She used the word muck a lot. Perhaps peggy had just overheard it.

“Mu-ke, mu-ke.” Peggy’s little fists reached out. Jemma unstrapped her from the chair to pick her up. She continued to struggle and Jemma tried to find the source. Finally, her eyes spotted it. Jemma crossed the room, stooped to pick up Peggy’s favorite stuffed toy.

“Mon-key.” Jemma said with an eye roll.

Peggy squeezed the monkey to her. “Munkey.”

“Come on you little monkey, let’s go find Fitz , he’ll be trilled.” It wasn’t daddy but Jemma was pretty sure it was safe to say he won.


	2. First Halloween

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jemma's has put together the perfect costume for little Peggy's first real Halloween.

“Daisy it’s absolutely perfect.” Jemma said into the phone pressed between her cheek and shoulder. “Thank you so much for finding it.” She held up the tiny sized lab coat that Daisy had ordered from some website hidden in the far corners of the internet. It would be perfect for Peggy’s first, official, Halloween costume.  Foiled

“It’s actually the cutest purchase I have ever made and I expect pictures.” Daisy called through the phone. “She is going to look just like a mini version of her mommy.”

Jemma sighed. “I told you she’s not going as me she is going as Marie Curie.” She had every piece now. The period accurate dress, the little boots, even mini plastic test tubes and beakers. She was thinking about filling them with brightly colored jellies to look like chemicals.

“Right, I know, but you’ll still send me a pic of the three of you all match-y match-y, WAIT!” Daisy gasped and Jemma nearly dropped her phone and the package. “It could be your Christmas card photo!”

Jemma faltered. “Since when do we send Christmas cards?”

“Since you went all domestic on us.” Daisy laughed.

“We have not gone domestic.” They had a fully functional lab in their basement and a yard large enough to land the quinjet.

“Oh yeah? Have Fitz and Peggy made it back from their walk to the park yet?”

She rolled her eyes. “Good bye Daisy.”

“How are the schools in your district?”

“Bye Daisy!”

“I know, I know, you probably need to get dinner started.”

“Daisy.”  Jemma scolded.

“I love you too, tell the monkeys when they get home.”

“I will. Bye Daisy.” Jemma hung up her phone and placed it on the table with the box holding Peggy’s new coat. She picked up the lab coat to admire it once more. Peggy would make the cutest mini Marie Curie. She would just go hang up the coat in Peggy’s closet next to her dress.

She had just finished hanging everything after laying out the ensemble across the dresser to see her hard work altogether when the sound of the door opening downstairs followed by Fitz shouting up the stairs that they were home.

“I’m coming.” Jemma called back. She took the outfit from the closet, holding it behind her back. She hadn’t told Fitz of her idea because she wanted to make sure she could get all the pieces first. And it had been close, Halloween was tomorrow. Jemma thought for sure it would be a repeat of last year when they stuck Peggy in her white onesie and called her a ghost.

Fitz had been disappointed so she had big plans for this year. He was going to love her idea.

“Jemma, hurry up, you have to see what we picked up on the way home.”

She hoped it wasn’t a stray, Fitz had been itching to get a dog. And that would only fuel Daisy comments.

Fitz was still by the door when Jemma came down the stairs. He was grinning at what sounded like Peggy running up and down the hall giggling madly.

“I’ve got something to show you too.”

“Us first, Peggy come see mummy.” As she stepped off the last step a tiny force slammed into her leg. Jemma looked down to see Peggy hugging her around her knee and smiling up at her beneath the eared hood of a monkey costume.

“Monkey!”

Jemma laughed at her enthusiasm and crouched to kiss her forehead. “You look adorable! But you already have monkey pajamas.”

“They’re not pajamas, it’s a Halloween costume.” Fitz said proudly. “I didn’t know if you had any ideas for her and we kind of put it off to the last minute again and well I saw that. Thought it would be perfect for her.”

“Oh.” Jemma’s smile fell for a moment but she brushed off her disappointment quickly. “Well in that case you should go get changed, can’t risk it getting it messy before tomorrow.” Peggy nodded and ran off to the living room.

“Alright what’s wrong?” Fitz asked. 

She shook her head. “It’s nothing just,” she revealed the little costume she had put together from behind her back, “I sort of had something in mind.”

“Wow, Marie Curie.” Of course he got it. Fitz took the hanger from her as she plopped down miserably on the bottom step. “This is great, why didn’t you tell me about it?”

“I wanted it to be a surprise, you’re so into this holiday I just wanted it to be perfect before I showed you.”

Fitz sat down next to her. “Well this is great, I bet she’ll love it.”

Jemma smiled, “ _You_ are _crazy_ if you think she’ll choose to be a scientist instead of a monkey.”

Fitz bumped her shoulder encouragingly. “You never know, she’s just as much yours as she is mine, Peggy come here.”

Peggy, who with endless determination had been attempting to reach and pull down the zipper of her costume, scurried back to them. “Hey Pegs, do you want to be a monkey for Halloween or do you want to wear the scientist costume mummy bought for you?” Peggy examined the costume Fitz held out to her carefully and with great consideration for someone so young. Finally, she tugged on the lab coat until it fell off the hanger. “Mommy monkey.” She answered struggling to get the coat on over her costume.

Jemma reached forward to help. Once on correctly Peggy looked down at herself before loudly announcing ‘mirror’ and running to the bathroom.

“She has spoken.” Fitz said as he lifted himself off the stairs. He held out his hand to Jemma. “Do you think she meant she’s a monkey dressed as you or is she under the impression that all mommies wear lab coats?” Jemma allowed herself to be pulled to her feet, the remains of her perfect costume dangling from her free hand. She considered it for a moment before smiling happily at him.

“You know, I think I like either.” Jemma decided. “Maybe she can wear the dress for Christmas if she doesn’t get too big, we have to take a picture you know, to send to everyone.”

Fitz frowned. “Why?”

Jemma told Fitz about her phone call with Daisy as they walked down the hall to the kitchen to prepare dinner still hand in hand.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jemma is prepared for every possible hiccup that could occur at Peggy's third birthday. Almost...

Jemma had it all planned out. Peggy’s third birthday, the first one that really had any significance to the little girl. The first and second birthdays were really more for the adults but this one she might actually remember. So it had to be perfect.

Their family, both biological and SHIELD had converged on their little cottage in Perthshire. It was a warm, sunny day so Jemma and Fitz had set up the food and decorations outside in the yard but she had regular weather updates coming to her phone.

Peggy was dressed in layers.

And she had the first aid kit on hand.

And back up snacks in the kitchen.

But everything was running smoothly. Not that she’d let Fitz know that her extra preparation was for nothing.  

“Piñata time!” Jemma called. Mack tossed the rope of the piñata over the low hanging branch of the big tree in the yard. Fitz appeared from the kitchen with an old broom stick handle and the kids surged towards him. He handed the stick to one of Peggy’s older cousins who grinned widely and waited impatiently, bouncing on the balls of his feet as they tied the blindfold over his eyes. “Everyone gather round, where’s Peggy, Peggy we have enough to break the piñata.” Peggy jumped to her feet, brushing off her dirt covered knees and running over to join them.

May and Colson had the kids back up while Daisy spun the little boy around. Peggy being the tiniest of her friends had to push her way to the front to watch and wait for her turn.

“Peggy say excuse me.”

“Okay mommy, excuse me daddy.” She said pushing Fitz’s leg out of the way. Jemma watched her smile up at him and turn her attention on the paper mache monkey.

Her nephew landed a few good hits to the piñata before the cheering of the friends and family was interrupted by a distraught shriek.

“Stop, stop, STOP!” Jemma’s heart stopped as Peggy darted forward toward the swinging stick but Fitz scooped her up before she got too close. Mack bravely pulled the stick out of the blindfolded boy’s grasp.

“He’s going to hurt him, make him stop, stop, STOP!” Jemma was at Fitz’s side trying to calm Peggy who hadn’t stopped struggling in Fitz’s arms.

“Peggy, shh, Peggy sweetie what’s wrong?” Jemma patted her daughter’s hair and Fitz gently bounced her until she stopped fighting to get away.

“He’s going to hurt him.”

“Hurt who?”

“The monkey!” Peggy sobbed.

Fitz and Jemma shared a startled look before turning to the piñata.

In Peggy’s defense it was a gruesome sight when you thought about it. A monkey hung by a string from its tail, smacked repeatedly in its head with a stick until it begins to bust open and leak candy. Jemma was suddenly horrified. Her child who loved monkeys so dearly and she bought her one to decapitate as a fun party game? What had she been thinking.

Her internal reprimanding was broken when she heard Fitz attempting to explain to Peggy that it wasn’t a real monkey but a piñata that was meant to be smashed. He walked her up to the piñata which she looked at through teary eyes. After a long moment of quiet she squealed loudly “Mommy you have to save him!”

Jemma was thrown. How did she save a piñata? 

“Sweetie I don’t know if I know how.”

“But you’re a doctor and doctors help people who are sick and hurt.”

She had a point. And it would be difficult to explain to her that she wasn’t that kind of doctor.

“Well then I guess I’ll have to try won’t I.” Jemma reached up to untie the piñata. “Daddy and I will have to take him in for surgery. Can you wait out here with everyone until we’re done?” Peggy nodded and with a brave face went to stand by Daisy

She and Fitz scooped up the remains of the piñata before disappearing into the house.

“I’ve traumatized our daughter.” Jemma cried. She dropped down into a chair at the kitchen table and stared helplessly at the heap of paper mache and candy in front of her.

“She’s not traumatized Jem, just freaked out a bit.” He’s searching the kitchen cabinets for something as he talked. “She’s three, three year olds have over active imaginations and on top of that she’s our daughter.”

“I guess overreactions could be a genetic trait.” Jemma said with a tiny smile. Fitz dropped a bowl down on the table along with a pile of scrap paper and Peggy’s box of craft supplies. Before she can stop him he’s emptying a bottle of school glue into the bowl.

“Come on Dr. Simmons, we have a monkey to save.” Jemma looked at the tools.

“You know how to paper mache, tell me you never turned in a paper mache volcano, Fitz, I might have to file for divorce.”

“You would never.” Fitz replied cockily. Jemma watched him fondly as he began to patch the hole in the monkey’s head, a soft smile on her face. After a few seconds Jemma stuck her hands into the sloppy mess and joined him.

By the time they returned outside, still sticky from the glue and up to their elbows in paint, the party was winding down. Cake had been cut and presents had been opened. Daisy promised them that they had it all on camera and could watch it together later but Jemma didn’t mind. The look on Peggy’s face when she runs over to hug the monkey piñata was enough to make it a memorable party.


End file.
